By Stephanie Brown, Director of Community Education, and Raissa Valencia, Community Engagement Coordinator
At Hubbard House, volunteers strengthen and support our mission in many ways, in both their time and their talent. Among those volunteers who serve as not only ambassadors for Hubbard House, but true advocates for our mission, are the members of the Hubbard House Board of Directors. Board Member Evelyn Chiang’s dedication truly shines bright.
Evelyn was introduced to Hubbard House through Bank of America, where she has worked for nearly 25 years. As a resident of Jacksonville Beach, Evelyn says she wanted to better understand the impact of domestic violence in our community, so she could help make the community stronger.
“I became inspired by the work Hubbard House does to provide safety, support, and hope for survivors. Creating safe spaces where families can begin again is incredibly meaningful, and that’s what drew me to become involved,” she says.
Evelyn initially engaged with Hubbard House in many meaningful ways, including organizing donation drives and volunteer projects by leveraging her network at Bank of America. As her passion continued to grow, she joined Hubbard House’s Board of Directors, where she has now volunteered for five years.
“Being a Board Member has allowed me to support the organization beyond the traditional volunteering by helping advance its long-term mission, providing strategic guidance, and advocating for the resources needed to serve survivors and their families,” Evelyn says.
Awareness is a critical part of the work for Evelyn, because she knows that the more people she brings into this mission, the more people will understand how widespread domestic violence is. Building that network of support also means more people learn about Hubbard House’s life-saving, life-changing services and donate toward that work.
“Hubbard House represents the very best of what a community can do when people come together around a common purpose,” she says. “The work is important, the impact is real, and I’m proud to continue being a part of that mission.”
Evelyn says she is continually inspired by the resilience of survivors, and she knows that volunteering her time and talent makes a true difference. She is not alone, as 772 volunteers donated 7,421 hours last year, including the other incredible members of Hubbard House’s Board of Directors.
We are grateful for volunteers and leaders like Evelyn, whose drive to raise awareness and funds for Hubbard House has a major impact on our organization. Learn more about how you can get involved by visiting Hubbard House’s Donation Drive or Volunteer page.